Clarity
by melificent811
Summary: After a fully able Casey reappears in Jane's life, they try to make a relationship work. Maura has mixed feelings about this… maybe Jane does too. Sometimes it takes a little clarity to realize the path you're meant to take. Inspired by the song "Clarity" by Zedd. Eventual Rizzles with a sprinkle of Casey/Jane to push the story forward.
1. Chapter 1

**Description:** After a fully able Casey reappears in Jane's life, they try to make a relationship work. Maura has mixed feelings about this… maybe Jane does too. Sometimes it takes a little clarity to realize the path you're meant to take. Inspired by the song "Clarity" by Zedd. Eventual Rizzles with a sprinkle of Casey/Jane to push the story forward.

**Rating:** T (Just to be safe…)

**Disclaimer:** All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

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**Chapter 1**

"You kept me up WAY past my bed time…"

Jane yawned as she plopped into the bar stool at the precinct's café, her best friend gracefully following behind and perching herself into the chair directly across the table.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The honey blonde grinned as she slid a steaming cup of coffee across the table. "If I remember correctly, you dozed off no more than half way through the documentary we were watching."

"The documentary YOU were watching…" The brunette inhaled the scent of the steaming mug before taking a large gulp of the wonderfully caffeinated beverage. "I just came for the beer."

Maura giggled as she watched Jane slowly come back to life with each sip. These shared nights over beer, wine, and week old DVR'd television programs had become a staple since she had surgery to donate a kidney to her half sister. The detective had refused to leave her unattended the moment she had brought her home from the hospital. One night had turned into a week which eventually turned into three months of evenings spent having dinner then curling up on the ME's couch to watch whatever struck their (or really HER) fancy. Nights that usually ended with the brunette sleepily following her to the bed room 'just in case she needed anything during the night'. Long after her sutures had healed, Maura would still wake in the morning with Jane's arm protectively draped around her waist.

Being together had become as second nature are breathing oxygen. Not that Maura was complaining…

"Here you go girls," Angela smiled at her favorite girls, presenting freshly made plates of breakfast. "Gluten-free bunny pancakes with turkey bacon and a side of fresh cut fruit."

"Thank you Angela!" Maura delightfully reached for her utensils to take a delicate bite from her expertly formed bunny pancake.

"I happen to like my gluts right where they are…" Jane frowned at the pancake who's strawberry nose and blueberry eyes and smile seemed to mock her. "Can't I just have a donut?"

"At least eat the fruit… It's good for you!" Her mother playfully smacked her on the shoulder, sharing a knowing glance with her 'adopted' daughter.

"Yeah Jane, it's good for you." Maura smiled as she echoed Angela's sentiments.

"Enjoy your breakfast, sweetheart." The Rizzoli matriarch leaned forward to place a kiss on her daughter's forehead before heading back behind the counter. "Make sure she eats her fruit Maura!"

"Thanks, Ma." Jane placed a miniature bite of pancake in her mouth and tentatively chewed her face conveying the fact that she expected the worst. "How do you make a bunny pancake gluten free anyway?"

"It's quite simple actually. You just substitute the wheat flour with almond flour, chickpea flour, or comparable gluten-free substitute." The doctor stated, watching in amusement as her best friend rolled her eyes at her google-speak. "Gluten-free diets have become quite popular as of late. There are studies that indicate the omission of gluten from one's diet can improve many health conditions including…"

"Hello Jane."

The pair turned… a familiar voice from the not so distant past extracted them from their current conversation.

"Casey!" Jane's gravelly voice shot across the room to the man standing in the entranceway. "You're…"

The pair watched surprised as the soldier walked towards their table. His newly rehabilitated physique propelled him forward - any indication of his near-fatal injury almost gone.

"No crutches." He continued forward, stopping inches away from the flabbergasted detective. "The surgery was a success. The doctors were able to repair all the damage. With the help of physical therapy I've regained full mobility."

"I can see that…" The brunette answered, her brain still trying to process the image of the man standing unassisted in front of her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't here looking for you. I stopped by your apartment last night but you were not home."

"No, I wasn't…" Jane's head dipped, knowing full well that she hadn't spent much time at her own apartment since her best friend's surgery months ago.

"I'm sorry I haven't been in communication with you these last few months. It's been… trying." The soldier shifted his weight, taking a moment to attempt to dispel the discomfort floating in the air. "I was hoping I could tell you about it over dinner tonight... At The Robber."

Jane inhaled trying to quell the unease that had fluttered into her stomach, hoping to god that it was just the piece of bunny pancake disagreeing with her. "Yeah, sure…"

"I'll see you at eight o'clock then." Casey smiled and turned away, exiting the café leaving the pair to resume their breakfast.

"You think this is a good idea?" The blonde finally broke her silence, concern over her best friend trumping the need to consume the deliciousness on the plate in front of her.

"It's just dinner, Maura…" Jane gazed downwards pushing the food around on the plate in front of her.

"I'm aware of that…" She paused, waiting for the woman in front of her to look up and meet her gaze. "I'm also aware that you haven't seen him let alone spoken to him since before his surgery. He made it pretty clear that he didn't need you…"

"I know…" The detective smiled warily, "It's just something I have to do."

Maura met her best friend's gaze, concern washing over her face.

*BEEP!*

The ME grabbed the phone from her purse and frowned. "Oh shoot, I have to head downstairs. A body has just arrived for processing."

"Duty calls..."

"You okay?" The blonde stood, as Jane nodded warily. She gently placed her hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Well, if dinner doesn't work out there's beer the fridge."

"Better run down there before the dead body decides to walk away…" Jane offered up a smile, trying to convince Maura that everything was ok.

The blonde grinned and made her way to the elevator. As it descended down to the basement, her stomach slightly turned. Perhaps it was the gluten-free bunny pancakes... The doors opened and Maura headed into the morgue, already looking forward to the beer she would be sharing with her best friend at the end of the day.

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**A/N:** It's been a while but my muse has returned. Hope you enjoyed. Next installment soon to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** A short updated because I felt like it... trying to push this story a little more forward .

**Disclaimer:** See chapter 1.

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_I still don't understand why Jane likes this stuff so much…_

The ME sat on her couch, legs curled under, her manicured fingers picking at the frayed ends of her partially consumed beer bottle's label. She half-heartedly paid attention to the documentary playing on her television screen. It had been a special on ESPN detailing the careers of the top 10 Red Sox players of all time… Something Jane had insisted they record and watch together because _"If I'm forced to watch a 3 hour long special on the creation of brie cheese, you'll have to watch at least 1 hours worth of Red Sox history."_

They were supposed to watch it together tonight before Jane's plans suddenly changed.

She sighed glancing at the timestamp on her cell screen. Eleven o'clock and not even a single text from her best friend indicating the outcome of her dinner with Casey. In all honesty, she expected the tall brunette to be busting through her front door in exasperation no more than an hour into their evening. A second beer already on the coffee table unopened and sweating water circles onto the coaster it sat on.

Things must be going better than either of us had anticipated.

"You're still awake?"

The blonde turned to see her best friend's mother rustling around in the kitchen.

"Hello Angela. Can I help you find something?"

"It's ok sweetheart. I'm just looking for... Ah ha!" The older woman reappeared from behind the cupboards revealing a cylindrical metal tin. "I knew I put it somewhere!"

"Ah yes," Maura stood from the couch and padded her way to the kitchen island. "Chamomile herb tea... a special blend my mother brought home from The Netherlands. Having trouble sleeping?"

"Just a little..." Angela smiled as she began to prepare herself a cup. "I'm sorry I'm disturbing you. Last time I used this you and Jane were already passed out on the couch. I didn't want to wake either of you so I guess I just threw it into the nearest cabinet. Where is Janie anyway?"

"She's having dinner with Casey at The Robber..." Maura frowned as she glanced at the clock in the kitchen, "That was over three hours ago."

"Casey huh? I always wondered what she saw in that man. She used to fawn over him all through high school. " The older woman rolled her eyes. "I always knew he would toss her to the side. I thought they haven't spoken in months."

"They haven't." The ME frowned, a feeling of unease settling into the pit of her stomach.

"Don't worry..." Angela smiled, "I'm sure she'll come by. That daughter of mine has been so worried about you ever since you had that surgery."

Freshly brewed tea in hand, Angela started to make her way back to the guest house.

"Can I get you anything else Angela?"

"Don't worry about me, honey. I'll be fine once I have this. Why don't you brew some for yourself? I'm sure it'll help you feel better."

The pair shared a smile and a goodnight before the Rizzoli matriarch retired to her space in the guest house.

Maura settled back into the couch, her eyes drifting to the television screen where a vintage Red Sox emblem appeared on the program's commercial logo. She sighed, the pit of her stomach twisting. The blonde had gotten so used to feeling long limbs curled up next to her that she found herself missing the comforting warmth of her best friend...

It was disconcerting. A woman who had grown accustomed to such independence was now taken aback by the fact that she missed a person's presence. The way she'd delicately hold a bottle of beer. The way she'd silently snicker to herself when something on the screen amused her. The way she'd gently place her hand on the blonde's thigh, and leave it there, through whatever they were watching. The way her eyes would sparkle every time the ME made a quirky comment.

Maura sighed, reaching for the remote and turned the tv off. It was nearly midnight and there was no indication her best friend would be reaching out to her tonight. Taking Angela's advice, she quickly brewed herself a cup of tea and proceeded upstairs to the bedroom... one that would feel oddly empty tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Please see chapter 1.

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Maura sat at her desk gingerly moving her head from side to side. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning attempting to find a comfortable position. Even with the entire king sized bed to herself, she just couldn't get herself to put down. Jane's long sprawling limbs usually unconsciously occupied the majorty of the bed. Although it meant the blonde would have to find a comfortable space in less than thirty percent of the mattress, she found she enjoyed their comfortingly protective warmth.

The eventual sleep she got last night was anything but restful and caused her to wake up with a literal pain in her neck.

"You okay?"

Maura's eyes travelled upwards to the entrance of her office where a tall brunette stood leaning against the door jamb.

"Acute Torticollis..." The blonde smiled as her best friend raised an unamused eyebrow. "Stiff neck... I didn't sleep very well last night."

"Yeah, neither did I." Jane sauntered forward presenting her best friend with a half caff soy latte. "I've forgotten how lumpy my bed was after spending so much time sleeping on your king sized cloud of fluff."

"You know Jane, you could get a memory foam mattress too. Any mattress would provide far superior lumbar support in comparison to the..."

"Feeling punchy this morning?" The brunette smiled at her best friend. Apparently someone had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.

"Sorry..." The blonde surrendered, taking a grateful sip from the steaming cup. "You didn't come home last night. Did you sleep with him?"

Maura inwardly cringed praying that a case of hives wouldn't start creeping up her exposed neck. Did she just call her house Jane's home?

"What? Uh..." Jane leaned back, slightly annoyed with her best friend's bluntness. "No Maura, it was just dinner and a few drinks. Next thing we knew it was midnight so I just headed back to my apartment. I didn't want to wake you..."

"I'm sorry." The blonde frowned realizing that some deep seated emotions were starting to seep through. "I just had a rough night last night."

"Scar tissue bothering you again?"

"I was just worried..." Maura resigned, searching for the right words to say. "You didn't call or text..."

"Sorry Ma." Jane smiled amusedly, "I'll make sure to call next time I decide to stay out past my curfew."

Maura sighed, allowing Jane's sarcasm to awkwardly settle the tension in the air. "So you and Casey?..."

"Well," The detective shifted in her chair in an attempt to get comfortable in the 'ergonomic' piece of overpriced plastic. "We're going to take it slow. But we're going to try again."

The blonde's stomach did a 360 then dropped to the floor.

"You think this isn't a good idea." Jane commented, noticing the slight falling of her best friend's face.

"No," The ME inhaled, fighting the heat that started to rise from her chest up to her neck. "I'm glad you two are trying again. He's a good man, Jane."

"Yes, he is..." The brunette agreed, still sensing that there was some unease floating beneath the surface. "He's been through alot and so have I. Of all people, I think we should get a shot. Right?"

"Absolutely..."

*BEEP!*

Jane turned, reaching for the offending phone holstered at her hip. "My suspect's here for interrogation."

"You should head upstairs then..." The blonde countered under her breath, an odd annoyance rising in her belly.

Noticing a change in her best friend's demeanor, Jane stood and moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "There's still beer in the fridge right?"

Maura turned to meet the brunette's eyes, a slight smile starting to form on her tired face. "Of course."

"Great!" Jane gave her shoulder a squeeze before heading to the door. "I'll come by after work and we can watch that Red Sox special i just know you're DYING to see. See you in a few for lunch?"

The ME nodded to Jane before the brunette turned out the door. She gazed down the hallway watching the taller woman's hips sway as she strutted towards the elevator. Her commanding presence filling every inch of the hallway she walked by.

Maura shook her head and attempted to concentrate on the files that were sitting open on her desk. Never in her life had she felt such an attachment to another human being. The disturbingly distraught emotions rising within her seemed highly illogical. She had never felt jealousy over any of Jane's potential suitors. Why Casey? Why now?

The blonde took a deep breath in and out, attemting to quell the emotions threatening to boil over. Jane had made plans to spend the evening with her and that's all that mattered. An evening where the two could cuddle on the couch under a shared blanket while drinking wine and beer. A night where Maura was going to allow Jane to pick the evenings programming because it was finally 'her turn'. A night where her best friend would follow her to bed where her warmth and closeness would lull the blonde into a deep and restful sleep.

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Hours later Maura sat on her couch at home, a glass of red wine already poured and sitting on the coffee table.

A body had been discovered in an abandoned warehouse near the waterfront shortly after Jane had left her office. It was quite a bloody scene with evidence scattered though all six thousand square feet of dark, dusty space. The forensics team didn't finish processing the scene until late in the afternoon.

Needless to say, the pair never had a chance to have lunch together...

This was nothing out of the ordinary. It would be an odd day if a case didn't pop up to marr any plans they made to have a quick meal together. But the blonde was actually looking forward to spending some time, even if it was a few minutes to share a quinoa wrap that she knew Jane would twist her nose about.

Reaching for the glass, the ME took a long sip of the velvety liquid. It wasn't a habit to pop open a bottle of wine while alone but she knew her best friend would be appearing at any moment to enjoy a glass of her own... Even if she claimed she wanted to come over for a beer or two.

As the honey blonde placed her glass back on the coffee table, she noticed her cell screen light up.

She smiled, quickly unlocking the screen. A message from Jane...

**Sorry! Casey asked me to help him with his physical therapy appointment this afternoon. Join us for a drink at the Robber?**

Maura squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to fight back the surge of frustration creeping its way through her system. Sure they had spent countless hours together over the last few months but she was especially looking forward to spending this evening curled on the couch with her best friend. Being a third wheel on Jane's 'date' was not the way she imagined her night would develop.

**It's okay. Already opened a bottle of wine...**

Maura sat as the text spun its way through the cellular network. She took another sip of wine, not sure what Jane would respond with but anticipating an answer nonetheless. Minutes passed and the blonde's phone didn't buzz.

Feeling slightly guilty over the tersness of her previous text, the ME reached for her phone once again.

**Breakfast at the cafe tomorrow?**

Almost immediately, her phone illuminated and buzzed to life with a response.

**It's a date!**

Maura sighed, at least Jane was trying to make it up to her. She reached for the blanket draped over the back of the couch, Jane's scent still very present all over it. Turning on the television, the ME settle back enveloping herself in its comforting warmth. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

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**A/N:** First of all, I would like to thank all of you for reading and especially to those who've chosen to follow this story. This is the first time in YEARS I've attempted to write a multi-chapter fic. My hope is that this turns out organic and as true to the established characters as possible. Hope you all enjoyed. More soon to come!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Please see chapter 1.

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**CHAPTER 4**

"I am SO sorry!"

The lanky brunette came rushing through the entrance of the precinct's cafe, her wild raven curls and charcoal suit a bit more disheveled than usual.

"Long night?" Maura responded, pushing the cold remnants of Angela's breakfast special around on her plate.

"Kind of..." Jane plopped into the chair directly across from her best friend, blowing a stray curl out of her eyes. "I spent the night at Casey's and I guess I forgot to set my alarm. Can I say 'I'm sorry' again?"

"Figured you didn't go home last night." The honey blonde quipped pointing out the wrinkles in her best friend's suit. "You were wearing the same suit yesterday."

"That noticeable?" The detective smiled guiltily. "I even draped it over a chair so it wouldn't wrinkle."

"Luckily all your suits look the same. I doubt anyone else would notice." Maura continued to stare into her food, unwilling to meet her best friend's gaze.

"Okay... I'll admit I deserve that." Jane pulled her chair forward, attempting to get her friend finally look her in the eyes. "I really am sorry Maura. I fully intended to get here early enough so we could have a decent breakfast together."

"I know you are." Maura looked up, hazel eyes finally meeting chocolate brown. "I'm sorry, I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the mattress again."

"Wrong side of the BED, Maura." The brunette smiled amusedly, "Hey, I know what'll help you feel better."

"Getting the appropriate amount of REM sleep?..." The honey blonde offered, not quite sure where her best friend was steering the conversation.

"I know we haven't been able to spend that much time together outside of work so I talked to Casey and he agreed to go on a double date with us."

"Double date?" Maura cringed, "With whom?"

"Casey has a friend in town who's on leave. They did a few tours in Afghanistan together. From what Casey tells me, he sounds like a great guy."

"I don't know Jane..." The ME shook her head. She would love to have dinner with Jane but not necessarily in the company of two other people.

"Hey, you're the one who's always talking about the health benefits that come with..." The brunette leaned in, unwilling to have anyone else in the cafe hear their conversation. "... 'Sexual intercourse'."

"Okay, fine." Maura's resolve broke, inwardly enjoying her best friend's typically cloistered response to any conversation revolving around human sexuality. "So when are we going on said double date?"

"Well... I did my 'gumshoe thing' and discovered that neither of us are on call tomorrow night." Jane smiled knowing that it wouldn't matter that it was such short notice.

*BEEP!*

"Dammit." The detective frown, quickly checking the message waiting on her cell. "One of these days I'm going to throw this thing into the bay. I have to go..."

"I have a small steamer down in my office." The blonde nodded her head and lightly smiled, trying to smooth things over with the woman sitting across from her. "Why don't you come down later and we can fix your suit."

"I love you!" Jane stood in a quickly kissed her best friend on the top of her head. "What would I do if you weren't in my life?"

"You'd have a wrinkled suit..."

Jane smiled at the honey blonde as she turned to make her way down to the evidence bay. Sure, it had only been two or so days since they had spent some quality time together but the raven haired detective was very much looking forward to spending an uninterrupted evening with her friend. As much as she hated to admit it, she had started to miss their nights curled up on the couch watching tv. Even if it was a two hour long documentary on the evolution of mycobacterium...

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"Those were some TINY towels!" Jane exclaimed, recalling the incident that had the pair locked down in the morgue for what seemed an eternity. "Two were barely enough to cover each ass cheek."

The brunette's cheeks reddened. Maybe it was the three glasses of obnoxiously expensive wine... maybe it was the thought of Maura seeing her naked. Either way, the heat rose to her face quicker than Frost aiming for a garbage can at a crime scene.

Jane shifted uneasily from right to left, the dress she wore clung tightly to her body in what seemed to be all the wrong places. She would have been perfectly comfortable had they chosen to have dinner and drinks at their usual watering hole. But earlier that day she had conceded to her best friend, allowing her to pick the evening's destination AND dictate which outfit to wear. Without much hesitation, Jane had allowed Maura to play the 'guilt card'... And she played it quite well.

Lumières de l'océan... The detective shouldn't have been surprised that her best friend would choose one of Boston's top 10 french restaurants for their double date. Almost positive this was Maura's twisted sense of humor paying her back for the brunette's recent wrongdoings.

Although, Jane mused, seeing the honey blonde in that striking red dress that accentuated all the right curves and dipped dangerously low down to the small of her back made it almost completely worth it.

Absolutely.

Stunning.

_Only for you, Maura..._

The evening had gone quite swimmingly. Casey introduced his friend and colleague, Eric, to the ME and everyone seemed to settle into comfortable conversation as dinner and drinks arrived at the candlelit table. Glass after glass of pinot noir was consumed and it was almost as if the tension from the last few days had completely disappeared.

"I have to admit, you wore those 'tiny towels' quite well." Maura's head buzzed slightly, realizing that the amount of wine she had consumed was starting to affect her inner censor. "That particular shade of orange matched your complexion nicely."

"Liar!..." The brunette smiled bashfully, playfully smacking her best friend on the arm.

"See?" Maura proudly presented her neck to everyone at the table. "No hives!"

"Come on Maura, I nearly put Chang's nudist boyfriend to sleep during my decontamination shower!"

"You heard him..." The blonde took another sip of the velvety liquid, enjoying its warmth as it slid down her throat. "Medical school can be quite exhausting. Especially when you're trying to juggle studies AND a part time career."

"Excuses!" Jane declared, playfully rolled her eyes.

"Oh! Hold on." The honey blonde paused and leaned forward, the tip of her index finger gently brushing against the dark haired woman's right cheek.

Jane instantly froze. The tenderness of her best friend's touch catching her off guard. Her gaze lingering over a fingertip that held a single raven lash.

"You had an eyelash..." The blonde's voice a whisper barely heard over the ambient noise of the restaurant.

"Thanks..." The detective smiled, chocolate brown becoming lost in deep pools of brilliant hazel.

Casey and Eric sat back as their dining partners shared an blatantly intimate moment. The entire double date had consisted of the two ladies reminiscing over random work stories under the pretense that they were sharing with the other two people at the table. The two men barely got a word in edgewise over the course of the entire evening.

"You know," Casey interjected matter of factly. "I'm starting to wonder if the pair of you would like to finish the rest of this 'date' alone?"

The brunette snapped out of her reverie and quickly turned to her date, puzzled by his slight change in his demeanor. "What are you talking about?"

"I am merely commenting on the fact that neither of you have bothered to include me or Eric in much of tonight's conversations." Casey revealed, being careful not to let his frustration seep through. "Although I must say we are both enjoying this brilliant bottle of wine. Fantastic vintage..."

"No matter," Eric interjected. "I should probably be heading home anyway. I have to take care of some business early tomorrow morning."

"Oh, I was under the impression you were on leave." The ME commented, attempting to change the course of the conversation.

"I am." The brown haired soldier smiled at his date. "However, duty rarely takes a day off."

"That's for sure!" Jane interrupted, the glasses of red wine starting to affect her resolve.

"It's been a lovely evening but perhaps it's time we head home." Casey stood, realizing Jane wasn't in a condition to stay out much longer.

"What about the bill?" The detective asked turning to her own date.

"We took care of it while you two were having a walk down memory lane." Eric responded, standing and offering an arm to his date for the evening. "May I walk you outside?"

Maura nodded and politely took her date's arm. The couples made their way out of the restaurant into the crisp early fall evening. Maura watched from behind as Casey walked Jane to the car... their hands lightly intertwined. She observed as the soldier leaned into the passenger side, placing a gentle kiss on his date's lips before continuing around to enter the other side to drive the dark grey sedan away.

_I guess I'll see you later, Jane..._

"Thank you for your company tonight." Eric smiled, pulling the ME out of her inner monologue. He leaned in attempting to place a kiss on her lips but at the last second Maura turned. His lips gently landing on her delicate cheek.

"I had a lovely evening. I appreciate your company but I think I should be heading home. I need to..." Maura searched for the right words, praying that any fib she would come up with would not induce an acute case of the hives. "...feed my turtle."

_Turtle!?_ Maura chastised herself knowing full well that she just had a freudian slip. _Well at least it wasn't exactly a lie... Jane would never let me hear the end of this if she ever found out._

"Turtle?" the soldier responded slightly surprised. "An exotic pet for an exotic lady."

"Yes, he is..." The blonde answered, hoping the conversation wouldn't last much longer. "...exotic."

"Goodnight Doctor Maura Isles." Eric leaned down, kissing the honey blonde on her hand. "I hope you have a pleasant rest of your evening."

The ME stood at the restaurant's entrance, watching as her 'date' climbed into a cab and drove off into the night. Taking a deep breath, Maura flagged down a cab of her own and gave her address to the driver.

Indeed, it was time for her to head home to feed her Geochelone Sulcata, also known as, Bass the African Spurred TORTOISE.

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**A/N:** I hope ya'll enjoyed this latest installment. Once again, THANK YOU for all the comments, views, and follows for my random musings. I'm a Rizzles fan through and through so I'm looking forward to resolving this as much as you all are. I promise I won't drag it out too long!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Please see chapter 1.

* * *

**CHAPTER 5**

_Silence..._

Maura inwardly scoffed. She could have strangled the historical figure who declared that 'Silence was golden'... Whoever the hell it was should be hung an effigy, drawn, and quartered. Only the blonde was so frustrated that her encyclopedic brain couldn't clearly navigate its way through its dewey decimal system to retrieve the appropriate information.

Instead she sat there cradling a half consumed glass of wine, eyes transfixed on the images blurring across the television screen. Her ears barely registering the plethora of information that the documentary's narrator continued to spout. Most other days she would find the mono tonal timbre of the narrator's dialogue oddly soothing.

As tonight proved, there were exceptions to every rule.

It was so ridiculously close to being 'business as usual' at the Isles household. Jane came over after work and Angela made Friday night dinner for her girls. Delicious platefuls of Nonna's lasagna recipe had been devoured before Angela retired to the guest house and the pair settled into the couch for the evening. Their legs curled under the blanket they chose to share despite the fact that there was always a second blanket sitting folded over the back of the couch.

Jane always claimed that Maura's favorite blanket, the blanket they religiously shared, was the softer of the two even though the only true difference was in the color of the fuzzy cotton fabric. Regardless of the pretense, the honey blonde never complained about the fact that sharing a blanket meant sharing a much smaller footprint on the couch. Limbs grazing against each other just became part of the territory.

Yes, it was a typical night save the fact that the detective had spent the majority of the evening staring at her cell phone and responding to text after annoying text. If Maura didn't hear the brunette's text chirp again, it would be too soon. Ironically, the ME started to wish that Casey didn't go to DC for the weekend.

"Why didn't you just go with him?" The blonde nearly choked on her own words. _Was that my out loud voice?_

"Come again?" Jane quickly looked up from her cell screen towards the woman she was sharing the couch with.

"You're already spending the whole night texting him..." Maura stated, her eyes fixated on the documentary she knew they both weren't watching. "It makes more economical sense to speak to him in person rather than via single lines of text over a cellular network. I hope you have a competitive data plan."

"I'm sorry…" The brunette tossed her phone on the coffee table before gently resting her hand on her best friend's knee. "We're just going over details for a veteran's ball he's dragging me to. Barf! You know how much I hate getting all fru fru girly and stuff."

"You didn't complain the other night when I asked you to wear that dress..." The blonde stated matter of factly. Her stomach clenching at the thought of the raven haired woman dressing up for another person.

"That's different! Of course I'd wear a dress for you..." Jane paused, her long fingers nervously picking at a loose thread on the blanket. "So... Dinner was fun that night."

"Yeah."

"You and Eric seemed to hit it off." The detective knew she was reaching... trying to say anything that would put her best friend in a better mood. Both women very conscious of the fact that the double date didn't turn out as either of them had imagined.

"I told him I needed to go home to feed my 'turtle'..." The blonde guiltily divulged, taking a delicate sip of her wine.

"Maura Dorthea Isles! You lied to your date AND you didn't go all vaso-bagel!?" The brunette playfully chastised, gently tapping the ME on the knee. "And, by the way, I'M the only one allowed to call Bass a turtle... LLBFF privilege."

"Vasovagal, Jane..." Maura responded, dejectedly staring into her half consumed wine glass. "I guess I just wasn't that interested in him..."

"Well at least you didn't try to diagnose him with some rare genetic disorder." Jane half laughed taking a swig from her beer bottle, remembering all the times her best friend had scared potential suitors away.

"Come to think of it, his eyes were set relatively wide apart..." The blonde cocked her head to one side, recalling Eric's face in her visual memory. "That is, in comparison to the vast majority of the caucasian male population."

"You just don't know when to stop do you?" The detective snickered, enjoying one of her best friends oddest (yet entertaining) quirks.

"Of course I do..." Maura turned, fiery hazel orbs finally meeting concerned chocolate pools. "I just have a clear understanding of what I want."

"Okay..." The brunette paused, finally fully sensing the seriousness in the ME's demeanor. "Is it me or was there a double meaning in what you just said?"

"I believe you're referring to an double entendre..." Maura sighed, breaking eye contact from her best friend. "You're a detective. What does your 'gut instinct' say?"

"I thought you didn't believe in listening to your 'gut'."

"I don't... But you do."

"Okay, out with it Maura..." Jane scooted closer to the honey blonde, her hands gently resting on the ME's blanket covered thigh. "What's this really about?"

Maura could feel the heat rising from her chest into her face. The gentle grasp of Jane's long fingers on her leg threatening to turn her brain into incomprehensible mush. The rage she internalized over the past few days urging her arms to involuntarily lash out at the woman invading her personal space.

_I don't know what to say, Jane... I barely know what to say to myself._

"Look..." The brunette sighed, realizing the other woman wasn't going to budge to easily. "I know I haven't been around much lately."

"No you haven't." Maura willed the words from her lips. Her throat becoming as dry as the Mojave Desert.

"With Casey in DC this weekend I thought it would be nice to spend a night together." Jane offered with a gentle smile. "I feel really bad about this past week and I want to make it up to you."

"So nice of you to pencil me into your busy social calendar…" The blonde's words bit and she knew it. As hard as she tried to keep the week's frustrations locked away, she just couldn't keep the proverbial pot from boiling over. Not with a certain person's hand innocently resting on her thigh...

"I told you we're trying to make it work." The detective frowned. She had sensed her best friend's apprehension over the situation but never truly realized how deeply it ran. "I owe it to him Maura."

"And what about what YOU owe ME?"

The room fell silent. Instantly, a quiet night between friends transformed into the stare down of the millenium. Depths of brown and hazel danced daringly across an open flame. The women sat there, eyes locked and jaws tight, searching for answers to questions that had yet to be spoken.

"Maura, what are you… " Jane whispered, the words falling haphazardly from her lips.

Next thing the brunette realized, a pair of delicately soft lips descended upon on her own. Sweet pillows of bliss with a hauntingly addictive taste that could only be described as Maura. Jane inhaled, the wonderfully comforting and familiar scent of her best friend infusing into every cell in her body.

It was a moment of pure spontaneity. The blonde knew this the instant she felt her body catapult forward to meet her best friend's lips. She knew the moment her fingers grazed the other woman's cheek before tangling into curly raven locks. There was nothing else to be done, no other words to be said that could accurately convey all the hurt, passion, and want that coursed hotly through her veins.

Jane was lost... Positively lost in the best of ways. Her body hummed in approval as she felt the honey blonde's fingers tangle into her dark curls. Her hands instinctually found their way under fabric, roaming across her best friend's lower back leaving trails of goosebumps in their wake.

The kiss was a blinding flash, a brilliant burst of golden firework that lit up the night sky only to disappear seconds after it's crowning glory.

The pair parted lips, foreheads gently rested together. Both women afraid to open their eyes lest they face whatever consequences that would result from finally giving in to their primal urges.

"I should go..." The detective's voice barely an audible whisper.

The ME's eyes remained closed, her entire being silently pleading with the other woman to consider otherwise. Within seconds she felt cushions underneath her shift, the brunette's warmth suddenly missing. In the distance she sensed a slight chill and the unmistakable sound of the front door closing.

_Don't you dare run away from me, Jane Rizzoli... Don't you dare._

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**A/N: ** Did it work? Not exactly how I first imagined it but I like where this chapter eventually landed. Trying VERY hard to stay true to both established characters. I hope it turned out that way.

I'm trying to crank out the next chapter but real life might get in the way for the next few days... Thank you again to everyone for reading/commenting/following!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay... In the last 4 days I did 3 events at work, closed a show, and went to first rehearsal for my next musical. Real life kicked my butt! Hope you all enjoy this chapter... it was a bit of a rough one to write but I think it got to where it needed to go. Thanks again for reading and ENJOY!

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**CHAPTER 6**

Jane burst haphazardly through her apartment door.

It had taken no longer than fifteen minutes to navigate the streets from Maura's house. Partly because it was the middle of the night. Partly due to the fact that the detective could do nothing but keep the pedal to the metal. Her urge to fly far from the 'situation' trumping any desire to obey traffic signals or drive reasonably within the posted speed limit. Even if interrogated, she would never admit to a few minutes worth of unwarranted use of her cruiser's siren.

Immediately she trudged towards the refrigerator, grabbing the closest cold bottle, popping the top, and taking a long swig of the amber liquid. Its cold bubbles tickling their way down her throat before settling harshly into her upturned stomach.

_I'm not gay..._

The brunette took a deep long breath, beer in hand, settling against the cold kitchen countertop. Her head spun. Multitudes of unanswered questions flooding her racing mind. An onslaught of truth and consequences washing over her body. Her brain still reeling over the memory of the delicious sensation of her best friend's lips pressed against hers, the honey blonde's delicate hands tangled in the detective's unruly locks.

_How dare you, Maura..._

Jane shook her head, a single tear snaking it's way down her cheek to the kitchen tile. Frustrated she turned to the refrigerator once again, grabbing the entire six pack, not caring that the beer she'd drink would eventually be room temperature. Once she sat on the couch, she was not getting up for the rest of the evening.

She made her way to the living room, dropping the six pack on the coffee table with a fairly audible clunk. Collapsing into the cushions, she reached for the remote hoping to find anything that would distract her from her current predicament. After taking another large swig from her bottle, she turned on the tv.

_This is a cruel joke, right?_

Jane tossed her head back and looked upwards to the powers that be. Her heart sinking dejectedly to the floor. Of course the Red Sox special would be replaying on ESPN at this exact moment in time. The same special she promised she would watch with her best friend multiple times in the past week. The same program that would sit unused on her best friend's DVR because the brunette had suddenly become incapable of keeping any of her promises.

_I'm a terrible person..._

The brunette quickly chugged the beer in hand, tossed the bottle to the side and opened the next one. She sank further into the cushions, masochistically deciding not to change the channel.

It was going to be a long night of self-medication...

"Here, you're going to want this..."

Jane's eyes slowly fluttered open, her brain slowly registering the fact that she had fallen asleep on the couch at some point in the night during her binge. She gingerly turned her head towards the voice, familiar hands presenting a tall glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen.

"Hi Ma..." The brunette blinked her eyes to focus and slowly began to push herself into an upright position. The room suddenly starting to spin out from beneath her.

"Couldn't make it to the bed, huh?" Angela commented, noticing the plethora of bottle caps and empty beer bottles strewn around the immediate vicinity. "Apparently Maura couldn't either."

"Thanks." Jane's shoulders sank as she gratefully accepted the items from her mother, instantly swallowing a small handful of little pills. "She okay?"

"Why don't you call her and ask her yourself honey?" The older woman sat next to her hung over daughter, her palm rubbing soothing circles on her lower back. "I thought you were going to spend the night last night. I came in to make you both breakfast and I found Maura passed out on the couch too... less empty bottles I may say though."

"She drinks wine." The brunette commented, slightly shaking her head. "Bigger bottles..."

"Is there something you want to tell me honey?"

"Is there something to tell?" Jane countered, not quite willing to divulge the reasons behind her actions the previous evening.

"Something must be bothering you..." The older woman frowned, always hating to see her daughter in any sort of pain.

"It's nothing Ma. I think we both just had a rough night..." Jane skirted around the truth, her already uneasy stomach twisting with every word. "I'll be fine."

"You want some breakfast?" Angela rose from the couch and headed towards the refrigerator. "I think I saw some eggs in here the other day."

"I'm fine Ma." The brunette whimpered as she allowed her body to go horizontal on the couch once again, the thought of food making her stomach clench. "I'm just going to lay here until the room decides to stop spinning."

"You should drink more water." Angela declared as she rested another tall glass of hydration onto the coffee table.

"Yes Ma'am!" Jane saluted as she remained firmly planted on the couch cushions.

"I'll see you later honey."

The older woman headed towards the door, fairly convinced that her daughter was paying the price for whatever indiscretions had happened the night before. The moment she reached for the knob, the front door swung open revealing an unexpected visitor.

"Hello Mrs. Rizzoli."

"Jane..." Angela turned to her daughter who now had a pillow resting over her entire face. "Casey's here."

Jane growled. _This weekend couldn't get any better could it?_

"Hi..." The brunette spoke through the pillow, silently cursing the room for continuing its spiral around her feet.

"Rough night?" The soldier smiled.

"Don't ask." Angela interjected. "Apparently she doesn't want to talk about it. I'll see you later sweetheart."

The pair watched as the Rizzoli matriarch headed out the door. Casey decided to make his way to the couch, silently taking note of all the empty bottles laying around.

"You're back early..." Jane noted as she let the pillow slip from her face the the floor.

"Turns out they didn't need me for the entire weekend so I decided to come home." Offering a hand, Casey helped hoist the detective back into an upright position. "I missed you."

He leaned in, offering a gentle 'hello' kiss to his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry..." The brunette bashfully pulled back moments before his lips could connect. "I had a rough night. Mind if we pick this up later?"

"Of course." Casey smiled, tucking a stray curl behind Jane's ear. "Dinner tonight?"

"Maybe..." the detective offered a light smile, one that wouldn't cause the pounding in her head to increase. "I'll let you know how I feel."

"Alright then. I'll see you later Jane."

The soldier amusedly shook his head and kissed her quickly on the forehead before leaving the brunette to recover from the previous night's activities.

Jane collapsed back into the couch the instant she saw the front door close. Her head spun. Partially as a result from the beer consumed the night before. Partially because of the events that led up to her consuming large amounts of said alcohol. The unresolved questions caused a throbbing mass behind her temples that refused to subside despite the fact she ingested enough pain killers to tranquilize a horse.

The brunette allowed her eyes to flutter closed, the morning sun peeking through the window assaulting what miniscule threads were left of her sanity.

_GAY..._

It was the single word that had been stuck on repeat... a scratched CD that refused to advance. A broken record player who's needle couldn't sense when to skip to the next groove. It was the one word that had warranted every last sip of alcohol despite the Maura sounding voice in her head screaming 'You've had enough'.

_Maura..._

Jane's mind reeled, the mere thought of her name initiated a trail of fire and ice down to the tip of every nerve ending. After all that she had been through, how could she allow one person to crawl so deeply, so intimately, into the recesses of her skin. How could that one person navigate so fluidly, so successfully, past the brick walls, motion sensors, and land mines that have developed over years of mistrust over the general human population.

It was every time that the honey blonde gracefully swooped into her life. Every time the brunette woke up in a hospital bed with the ME holding her hand by her side. Every opportunity spent saying "You're beautiful my friend". It was the gentle touches, the stolen glances... every intimate conversation spent in the autopsy room, on the couch, or at home in bed (or on a mattress in the middle of the living room floor).

It was every time she had saved her best friend from the brink of disaster - Hoyt, Derek, a disastrously injured leg in the middle of the woods. It was the evenings spent watching tv under a shared blanket. The consecutive mornings she'd wake with her arm draped gently over healing sutures. Every time she had become a protective lioness guarding her pride from imminent danger. Ready to use any and all force to make sure that her best friend, her Maura, would walk away unscathed.

Over the years Jane had become Maura's friend and family, making up for a lifetime of social awkwardness and missed childhood milestones. Somewhere along the line, the ME had become the detective's saving grace.

Kind words, a healing touch, a much needed hug... a kiss that nearly blew away all sense of reality. It all added up to the one person who had been standing there all along. A wonderfully unexpected gift from the universe.

Jane sighed, covering her eyes with the back of her palm... the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle finally falling together. Life had taken the proverbial bags of bricks and catapulted it at her impossibly thick skull. Her jaw clenched tightly, a single tear escaping from tired eyes.

_I'm in love with my best friend..._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Hi all! Sorry for the delay. Things are getting busy now that I'm back in rehearsals. Hope you enjoy this installment.

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**CHAPTER 7**

_*TAP, TAP, TAP*_

Jane rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. As hard as she tried, the detective couldn't get her ridiculously frayed nerves to settle. Her empty stomach tying into impossible knots, her left foot uncontrollably twitching against the descending elevator's floor. This was turning out to be the both the longest AND shortest elevator ride in the history of Jane Rizzoli's life.

The rest of Jane's weekend had been spent in the same manner that her mother and Casey had left her... lanky body catatonically sprawled on the couch, watching mindless television, and maintaining a steady buzz. The only time the detective rose was for the absolute essentials - bathroom breaks, the occasional non-Maura approved artery clogging snack, and more mind-numbing beer.

It had become forty eight hours of complete self-indulgence that left the detective feeling more exhausted than when her weekend started. Although, nothing she was currently feeling would compare to what she was going to walk into as soon as the elevator doors opened on the basement floor.

Mentally she was prepared for an ass-kicking. Physical, emotional, spiritual, or as she was expecting, "D" - all of the above. It was going to happen sooner or later. She would eventually be forced to face her best friend... her reason for feeling so ungodly disastrous this morning.

_Damn you Korsak for sending me down here... and you too Frost for being late to work!_

With a light _*ding*_, the elevator doors slid open revealing the all too short pathway towards the honey blonde's office. Jane inhaled, gathering her courage, and took a long stride into the direction of her fear. Her heart beating faster and harder with every step. Of all the times she had put her life on the line, all the instances her resolve had been tested while on the job, few things felt scarier than this moment in time.

Seconds later the detective arrived at the ME's office door which was uncharacteristically closed. Jane raised her hand, taking a shaky breath before lightly tapping on the one solid object standing between her and her best friend.

"Come in." Maura answered from inside of the office, her tone professional and meaning nothing but business.

_At least she sounds okay..._

The brunette took a beat to gather her thoughts before turning the knob and letting the hollow door gently swing open. She hesitantly stepped into the entryway, leaning against the door jamb waiting for further instruction to move.

Jane's eyes travelled across the room to Maura who continued to focus on nothing but whatever was displayed on her computer's screen. Not even the slightest bit of acknowledgment to the person seeking entrance into the room.

"Hey." Jane tested the shark infested waters, lightly clearing her throat. Still unsure of the appropriate manner in which to proceed.

"Hey." Maura answered coldly, continuing to focus on the information on her screen.

"Um..." The detective stepped forward tentatively, cautiously deciding to close the chasm between her and her upset best friend. Her long fingers subconsciously rubbing the raised scars on her the back of her palms. "Korsak told me you have the lab results."

"They're on the table over there." The ME answered matter-of-factly, her tired eyes refusing to move from the screen.

Jane sighed, realizing that it was going to take a little more than simple work conversation to get the blonde woman to look her in the eye. She had walked into a room that was as cold as the arctic circle and the air conditioning hadn't even kicked on for the day.

"Thanks Maur." Jane resigned, grabbing the report from the coffee table and making a dejected retreat back towards the doorway. As she approached the portal she did a quick about face, her courage finally deciding to kick in.

"Why did you do it?"

It was an honest question, one without a hint of anger or embarrassment behind it. The question that had haunted the detective's mind every millisecond of the day since it had happened. A simple question between friends that sought the simplest of answers.

"Do what?" The blonde countered, unable to bring herself to turn her head knowing she would fall apart at the seams the instant hazel met deep pools of chocolate.

"Kiss me…" Jane responded. It wasn't a plea, an accusation, or question. It was a simple two syllable statement that summarized the multitude of emotions both women had been containing all weekend.

Maura finally turned away from the screen. Her fiery eyes intensely catching and focusing on her best friends brown orbs. In this moment time seemed to stop and the air in the room ceased to move. They had become two women stuck in a deathly tango across a bed of nails. A daring dance move that would either cause both women to drop clumsily to the floor or rise gracefully above the competition.

"Was it THAT bad?.." The ME broke the silence, her latent anger beginning to boil over once again. "I vaguely recall you enjoying it for all of thirty seconds…"

"No Maura... It was great." Jane admitted, cautiously moving towards Maura and perching herself on the tabletop. Gently, she turned her best friend's chair so they were face to face, bodies suddenly inches away from each other. "Wonderful even. I just… I've never felt this way about anyone before."

It was in that moment that Jane saw the blonde's eyes begin transform into something softer, more inviting. A moment of silent forgiveness. Taking a chance the detective raised her hand to the ME's cheek, slowly as not to frighten a tiny helpless animal. The pads of her fingers gently brushing against delicately made up skin. Within moments, she could feel the the weight of the other woman's head resting into her open palm.

The brunette leaned in, zeroing in on the lips that had caused her to experience the depths of pain and the heights of ecstasy all in a single moment. Slowly she moved forward, capturing divinely soft skin. Allowing herself to melt fully into the bliss that only her best friend could give her.

Maura's eyes closed, surrendering to the tenderness of the moment. The electric sensation of Jane's lips on her own traveling instantly through her body activating the tip of every nerve ending. Every cell, every molecule, hummed in approval as fingertips brushed against sensitive skin. Her mind floating higher and higher as tongues slipped past barriers and she tasted her best friend for the first time.

"No Jane..." The honey blonde reluctantly pulled her lips away, her forehead resting gently against the taller woman's. Her breathing pattern slowly returning to normal.

"You're with Casey."

"We haven't..." Jane gently grasped her best friend's hands, unwilling to let her go so easily this time around. Slowly, she pulled her forehead away, brown orbs seeking solace in depths of golden blues and greens. "I haven't slept with him. I just... I can't."

"You know how much I care about you..." Maura whispered. She turned in her chair, reluctantly pulling her hands from her best friend's grasp. The logical part of her brain demanding her love-drunk body to stand and walk away. She stopped at the opposite end of the room and turned, her burning eyes capturing the brunette's. "But I'm not going to be your second choice."

Both women paused, feeling the weight of the moment sink like viscous honey. Jane stood from the desk facing the smaller woman, unclear on how to proceed. Her heart pounding like one of Maura's african tribal drums against her chest. This was a defining moment, a piece of history that could alter the course of their friendship forever.

"I think you need to go." The honey blonde turned, her eyes facing the bookshelf along the wall, painfully willing herself to not look back in the other direction.

Jane sighed, knowing that there was nothing else to be said, nothing else she could do to change the outcome of this conversation.

"I miss you Maura…"

Dejectedly, the brunette turned and left the office, quietly closing the door behind her.  
Maura exhaled, finally letting go of the breath she didn't realize she had been holding onto. Slowly she turned to the closed office door, inherently knowing that no one would be standing there but quietly hoping that all of her senses were lying to her. Her eyes struggling to hold back silent tears that threatened to fall the instant her best friend entered the room.

Gracefully she moved back to her desk, sitting in her chair and slowly turning her seat back to face the computer screen. Her right hand reached forward, moving the cursor and clicking the mouse so she could close the window displaying on her screen. Moisture from her eyes finally beginning to spill over the instant she saw her desktop screen - a candid picture of her and Jane that Angela had snapped at last year's office holiday party.

_I miss you too, Jane..._

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**A/N: ** Once again, THANK YOU for all the views/follows/comments. It's nice to know there are people out there who are enjoying my randomness. :)

Hoping to get the next chapter up soon but it might be a few days. Life is getting a bit busy so my writing time has shrunken considerably. Thanks again!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** I apologize for the wait... the internet has been down at my house since Tuesday so I had to go to starbucks to post. Hope you enjoy!

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**CHAPTER 8**

_"Jane..."_

A familiar voice quietly rasped , it's owner standing meekly as if seeking permission to proceed further from the entrance to the empty room.

"Hey..." The detective who had been working quietly at her desk turned in her chair. She smiled lightly, wondering hopefully if yesterday's uncomfortable conversation had miraculously been forgiven. "Thanks for the report yesterday. It really helped us out."

"I'm glad I could be of assistance." The ME cautiously continued forward, stopping inches away from her best friend. "Listen, I'm sorry I wasn't very receptive to you yesterday. I was still angry about what happened Friday night."

"I know." The brunette answered, her brown orbs connecting with the other woman's. "I get it. I would've been mad at me too. I was kind of an ass."

"Kind of?" Maura chuckled softly with the woman across from her. She reached forward, brushing a rogue curl from the detective's eyes.

"Okay... I was a total ass." Jane smiled in return, her heart beginning to flutter with excitement. "Can I make it up to you?"

"Maybe." The honey blonde perched on her best friend's desk, slowly pulling the brunette's chair around so they were still facing each other. "First, I was thinking we could have dinner... maybe a drink of two?"

"I think I can swing that." The taller woman answered, more than ready to play the cat and mouse game her best friend was proposing. She pulled her chair closer to the blonde, closing the distance to within millimeters. The heat rising between the two threatening to burst into a blinding supernova.

"And there's the matter of the kiss..." Maura leaned in, her lips ghosting over the raven haired woman's.

"Maura..." The detective countered, still enraptured by her best friend's spell. "People might see..."

"Frost and Korsak are down in the the evidence bay." The honey blonde closed the gap, peppering a light kiss on the corner of the darker woman's lips. She leaned closer, her lips hovering dangerously close to the detective's ear. "It appears everyone else has gone home for the day."

"Hmmm." Jane feigned consideration, truly unwilling to demand that Maura stop whatever she was about to do. "Maybe you should refresh my memory then..."  
Maura slowly pulled back, her lips grazing across a heated rose colored cheek.

She smiled lovingly, gently settling onto her best friend's inviting lips. Jane's eyes fluttered shut, her body fully and willingly surrendering to the other woman's quiet ministrations. Intimately connected, the two women seemed to loose all sense of reality around them.

Eyes still closed, they parted lips. The raven haired woman instantly missing the warmth and tender touch of her best friend. Senses still reeling, she could feel the coolness of the room. Her skin prickling at the perceived change in temperature.

"Jane!"

The detective's eyes flew open at the sound of her best friend's muffled cry. She jumped up assuming a defensive position, her hand instinctually reaching for the gun holstered at her left hip.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." A tall figure dressed in black and wearing a ski mask warned Jane. His long arm tightly holding the honey blonde hostage. His strong legs continued to pull her backwards to the other side of the room, the other hand defiantly pointing and waving a gun towards the detective."Hands where I can see them."

Jane complied, slowly raising both hands into the perp's sightline.

"How did you get in here?"

"I snuck in while you two love birds were making googly eyes at each other. Pretty isn't she?" The gunman eyed Jane, seductively tracing the tip of his gun against Maura's cheek.

Maura locked eyes with Jane, her body trembling, silently pleading her best friend to rectify the situation. Her breath hitched, feeling the cold metal of the fire arm stroking a menacing trail down her jaw line.

"Yes, she is." Jane responded stoically as she slowly inched forward, her tall frame remaining strong and steady.

"Think she'll look prettier with a bullet through her skull?"

"Jane..." Maura struggled, the perp increasing his grip around the ME's torso.

"Hold still unless you want me to use this on your friend over there." The gunman whispered horsely into the the honey blondes ear, pointing his .40 calibre pistol at the detective.

"What do you want?" The brunette interjected, attempting to pull the perp's attention from the hostage.

"What makes you assume I want something?" The masked gunman countered, more than willing to play the upper hand.

"You're in a police station holding the Medical Examiner of the state of Massachusetts hostage..." The brunette continued inching forward, attempting to close the forty foot gap between her and the perp. "Either you have a damn good reason or you're just that much of an idiot."

"Not as much of an idiot as you."

Without warning, the tall figure pushed Maura forward into Jane's direction. His hands grasped the gun and pointed it towards the honey blonde as momentum propelled her forward. He watched in silent satisfaction as unsteady legs attempted to close the distance between her and her best friend.

_*BANG!*_

Maura stumbled forward, a deep red pool beginning to form on the front of her creme colored designer silk blouse. Jane panicked, rushing forward to catch the blonde as her legs gave way. The pair crumbled to the floor as the tall figure made his way towards the exit.

Jane cradled Maura in her arms, her trembling hands attempting with futility to control the blood flowing from the open wound on her best friend's chest. She glanced up towards the perp, her tear filled eyes observing as his hand reached up to remove the black ski mask revealing his true identity.

Suddenly the detective realized she was staring into a pair of familiar brown orbs. A mirror image of herself, raven curls and all, standing defiantly at the entrance to the office staring her down with steel cold eyes.

"Next time, grow a pair."

Having said her peace, Jane's doppelgänger made a hasty escape knowing that her counterpart would never leave her best friend to die alone.

* * *

Jane's eyes shot open, her body instantly rising from the bed automatically reaching for the weapon that was almost always by her side. In the darkness her eyes adjusted, her mind finally piecing together her fragmented sense of reality.

_It was a dream..._

She took a deep breath, allowing her mind to slowly wake and her body to come down from the adrenaline rush of the deceptively realistic nightmare. The rough sheets were impossibly tangled around long limbs. Her thin white tank clung closely to damp, sticky skin. Strands of her curly raven hair fell in unruly clumps around her tear stained face.

She glanced down, her tired eyes settling on the bedside clock then traveling to the body that lay undisturbed on the bed next to her. She paused a moment, silently observing the steady rise and fall of his chest.

_I didn't wake him..._

Jane sighed, slowly lowering her torso down to the bed, her limbs carefully rearranging the tangled sheets to cover her trembling body. For minutes she lay in silence, her heart beat slowly returning to a restful pattern.

Her mind raced, remembering the fact that it had taken what seemed hours for her to fall asleep in the first place. She and Casey had a relatively low-key Sunday evening together - pizza, beer, and watching the Pats demolish the Jets on their home field. A night that ended with Casey initiating intimate relations with Jane quickly putting on the brakes citing their decision to _"take it slow"_.

It was a night that ended with the lanky detective laying wide eyed in the darkness on her side of the bed... the right side.

_Maura always makes me sleep on the left..._

Jane inhaled, gingerly moving so she was laying on her side facing away from the other body sharing the mattress. It was going to be a while before her mind shut down again so might as well not wake her bed mate.

The gears in her brain continued to turn. Her mind recalling the vivid dream she had just awoken from. The gut wrenching feeling of Maura dying in her arms becoming a little too real. The brunette blinked her eyes, a single silent tear escaping and trailing down until it hit the cool pillow.

Tossing the sheets aside, Jane rose from the bed. Her mind already making the decision to throw her clothes on and drive home to her apartment. As stealthily as she could, she pulled her jeans on and grabbed her phone which was sitting on the bedside table.

_If I'm going to be awake all night, I might as well be awake in my own bed._

"Leaving so soon?" A deep voice rasped from the other side of the bed.

"I couldn't sleep." Jane stopped at the door and turned, sitting back down on her side of the bed. Her body intentionally facing away from Casey. "I'm just going to head home. I have to be at the station in a few hours anyway."

In the darkness, the blue eyed soldier sat up. His hand gently brushing aside tousled raven locks. The amber streetlight spilling through the bedroom window dimly illuminating his every move. His lips moved around slowly, seeking to plant a kiss on the brunette's pillow creased cheek.

"I'm sorry Casey..." Jane shifted uncomfortably on the bed, moving away from his touch. "This just isn't working."

"I know..." Casey sat back understandingly. He sighed surrendering to the moment, finally allowing himself to see what's been in front of him all along. "You've been distant, Jane… At first I thought I was imagining things but you confirmed it for me. You confirmed it for me the night we had dinner with Eric and Maura."

"You knew?" Jane stared guiltily at the floor, unwilling to look him in the eye. Her eyes barely able to see her bare feet in the darkness of the room.

"Jane, I'm not the only one who sees how you two are when you're together. She makes you a better person."

"Yes…" She sighed, her gut clenching as the admission to herself sunk in. "She does."

"Don't compromise your happiness for my benefit. Even if a little part of you thinks you want to be with her, you should go."

Jane nodded and sighed, her exhausted body rising from the bed to leave.

"Stay." The sandy blonde soldier stated, stopping the detective in her tracks. "It's the middle of the night."

Casey rose, grabbing his pillow and a throw was draped over the foot of the bed. He walked towards the door leaving the tall brunette still sitting on the king sized mattress.

"If you'll excuse me," He turned to face her, sympathetic blue eyes finally meeting guilty browns. "I'm going to continue my beauty rest on the couch in the living room. Good night, Jane."

"Thanks." It was the only thing the brunette could say. The only thing that wouldn't hurt Casey further.

The soldier nodded and thinly smiled before closing the bedroom door behind him. Somewhat relieved, Jane turned and collapsed exhausted. Her body melted into the upturned sheets hoping she could get a few more hours in before she had to leave.

_It's time I grow a pair..._

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**A/N:** Did the dream work? I'm not gonna lie... I struggled with this chapter because of it. Hope you all enjoyed. Working on the next chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to post sooner than later. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** My dear readers, I must apologize for taking SO LONG to update. I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. Real life has kept me very busy these days. It took a while, but this chapter grew on me. I hope you enjoy it too.

* * *

**CHAPTER 9**

Jane scratched her head and yawned, her tired legs propelling her through the precinct's entrance. It was already Thursday and she had struggled all week to force her body into any semblance of a night of restful slumber. The after effects of her nightmare still very present every time her mind began to shut down for the evening.

_I just need a cup of coffee..._

The detective sighed, deciding to take a detour into the cafe. Her mind dead set on getting the largest cup of liquid energy her body could handle. She proceeded in, hoping that her detour before heading upstairs to the office would be undisturbed.

"Janie!"

The brunette stopped dead in her tracks, her hands frozen by the pump of the coffee dispenser. She shook her head, regretting her decision to not stop at Boston Joe's on the way in.

"Come here and have some breakfast." Angela declared from the other side of the room. Her hands setting down two plates of food - one for Jane and one for the honey blonde already seated at the highboy table.

Jane twitched. As much as she would love to, her frayed nerves couldn't handle having breakfast with her best friend. They had seen each other occasionally over the course of the week, but only on professional terms. Even then, the conversations they had were very terse and even slightly uncomfortable. The pair hadn't had a single non-work related social interaction in what would seem ages.

Despite her gut demanding she run swiftly in the other direction, the detective chose to proceed further into the cafe. Best not to defy her mother lest she face her _"three square meals a day"_ lecture.

"Thanks Ma." Jane sat at the table, her eyes uncomfortably meeting Maura's from across the all too small table.

"Oh and sweetheart, I'm making your Nonna's gnocchi tomorrow night." Angela interjected, dropping a set of silverware in front of each woman. "You need to come over for dinner."

"Ma, you shouldn't be offering up Maura's place like that." Jane began to slightly panic. How on earth could she explain to her mother why going to Maura's was a disastrous idea.

"Why not?" The older woman asked puzzled. Instinctually, she knew something was amiss between the two friends. But it's never been as bad as the weeks after her daughter shot Maura's biological father. "It's just dinner for the three of us. You're there all the time anyway... At least you used to be."

Jane sighed knowing there was an element of truth to her mother statement. Her eyes silently sought Maura's permission to proceed further.

"Angela's right," Maura stated simply, absentmindedly pushing her food around her plate. "You should come over."

"See!" The older woman exclaimed, smacking her defiant daughter lightly on the shoulder. "Maura said you should come over. Dinner will be ready at seven."

Satisfied, Angela walked away lightly shaking her head. She sensed her girls needed a nudge to fix whatever had happened between them. Friday night dinner was the perfect excuse to force them into the same room.

"Listen, I know you just said that because my mother was standing there." The brunette shrugged, unsure of how to proceed. "I don't have to come over if you don't want me to."

"It's okay, Jane. You should be there." Maura quietly offered, her body shifting nervously in her chair. "It's Angela's Friday night dinner and it's been weeks since you've had your grandmother's gnocchi."

"You sure?" The brunette asked nervously. The last thing she wanted to do was make her best friend more uncomfortable than she already was.

"You can bring Casey if you want."

Jane smiled and nodded, unable to explain the current status of her relationship with Casey. It was too early. Too early to explain the mosaic of thoughts and emotions that currently consumed her being. Too soon to explain to Maura the true nature of her feelings.

"I'll see you tomorrow night."

The brunette stood, grabbing her cup of coffee, and headed towards the bank of elevators. Her nervously twisting stomach unable to handle the plate of food her mother had left for her.

_Perfect timing as always..._

* * *

"Janie! Come over here and help me with the dishes..."

"Coming, Ma." The brunette stood from the couch, beer still in hand, and headed towards the kitchen where her mother and a pile of dirty dishes awaited.

"Come here and put these these leftovers in the fridge." the older woman pushed a plate still heaping with gnocchi in front of her daughter. "I thought you two would be more hungry but I guess this means you'll have lunch for the rest of the week."

Jane shrugged, her hands grabbing the plate and tossing the soft white globs into a container. Her eyes travelled over to her mother who was busy rinsing the dinner plates before setting them into Maura's state of the art dish washer. The detective could never figure out how to use that damn thing... _shouldn't it just have an on/off button?_

Considering the circumstances, dinner had gone quite well. The brunette walked through the front door on time with a six pack of beer in hand. Angela was at the tail end of preparing the savory dish while Maura stood at the kitchen island tossing healthy salad greens with some ridiculously hoity toity names Jane couldn't possibly pronounce.

Though the air felt a bit tense at the detective's arrival, everyone seemed to settle into their normal routine once a glass or two of alcohol had been consumed. Nerves seemed to relax and conversation began to flow with a fluidity that had been lacking in the past week. Though painfully conscious of her actions, Jane couldn't resist a fleeting touch or two... a hand brushing against the ME's lower back as she walked around the kitchen island to retrieve another ice cold beer from the refrigerator.

Jane could feel herself giving in, feel herself wanting more and more to be closer to the honey blonde who had invaded her thoughts for the entire week. Over the last few hours, her body subconsciously pushed her towards the other woman. Her limbs refusing to be anywhere but in close proximity to her best friend.

And despite all that had happened over the past week, Maura didn't seem to mind...

The brunette sighed, pushing the last of the left overs into the small glass container. It had been a wonderful few hours but her gut was telling her it was about time to make a graceful exit. Everything had gone unpredictably smooth tonight and Jane didn't want to chance doing anything to wear out her welcome.

"Thanks for the dinner Ma." Jane declared as she made her way out of the kitchen towards the front door.

"Leaving already, Janie?"

"I need to go home and let Joe out." The brunette fished for a plausible answer, praying that her mother would buy it. "She's been inside for a couple of hours. I don't feel like going home to a mess. Which I'm sure I already am..."

"Well next time bring her so you won't have that problem." The older woman, hands still sudsy from doing the dishes, walked over to give her daughter a quick peck on the cheek. "Drive safe sweetheart."

Jane smiled, watching her mother return to her task at the kitchen sink. Her heart rate began to speed knowing that her next conversation would be with the woman she had been consciously avoiding all week.

Her feet carried her across the living room to the doorway where her car keys were waiting on a side table. Grabbing her keys from the table, her breath hitched. Her nerves fraying to the point of not being sure of what to do when she had to say 'goodnight' to the other woman inside of the house.

Suddenly Jane's heart skipped a beat. A gentle touch on her shoulder pulling her out of her introspection.

"Leaving already?"

The detective turned, chocolate eyes meeting pools of hazel. Her body slowly began to relax, her whirlwind mind finally settling from the tornado of thoughts that had been ripping apart her insides.

"I need to let Joe out..." The brunette shifted uncomfortably. It was all she could get her mouth to say.

"Where's Casey?" Maura gently asked, her faced slightly upturned in confusion. "You know it was okay to bring him."

"He's not coming." Jane shook her head, still unsure as to how to explain to her best friend why the soldier was not attached to her side.

"Does he have a veteran's function tonight?"

The honey blonde had a quizzical look on her face. A gaze of genuine childlike wonder... one of Maura's myriad of expressions that Jane would never tire of.

"I don't know…" Jane looked downwards, her feet shifting on the hardwood floor. "We broke up."

"Oh..."The blonde's face turned. Although their relationship had been strained recently, she still hated to see her best friend hurt in any fashion. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay." Jane looked up, her orbs latching onto the shorter woman's inches away from her. Her courage finally rallying. "I had a moment of clarity, that's all."

Maura paused, looking at her curiously. Her mind uncharacteristically unable to process words to say to the woman standing dangerously close. The blonde watched as Jane sighed deeply, a sure sign that she was immersed in contemplation.

"I don't know why I kept trying to revisit my past when my future has been standing in front of me the whole time..." Jane finally broke the silence, her feet inching her closer to the woman who undoubtedly held her heart. "I'm sorry I put you through all this and I don't want you to think you owe me anything. I just want you to know that I still mean what I said… I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Heart racing from her admission, Jane slowly leaned forward. Callused fingers gently brushing back a strand of hair behind the blonde's ear. Her lips placing a gentle chaste kiss on her best friends cheek.

"Do with that what you will…" The brunette whispered into Maura's ear. Pulling back, Jane coyly smiled as she turned and exited through the front door.

Maura stood frozen, her fingertips grazing the spot where her best friends lips touched her skin. Her ears hearing the muffled rumble of the detective's cruiser engine starting the the driveway. Her heart raced, her stomach turned in impossible knots.

_You are my clarity..._

* * *

_As Jane would say, it's 'time to grow a pair'..._

Maura sat in the driver's seat of her Prius, her logical mind attempting to quell the fears that had run rampant through her body since Jane left earlier that evening. Shortly after the detective left, the honey blonde decided to turn in thinking that a restful night of uninterrupted sleep would help bring forth the resolutions she sought.

Instead, the ME spent hours staring at the shadows cast on her bedroom ceiling. Contrasts of dark and light painted by the streetlight and tree branches outside of the bedroom window. Blurry shadows of images that did nothing but remind the ME about the woman who had transformed, destroyed, and resurrected her world on more than one occasion.

Sitting in the car, Maura squeezed her eyes shut. The skin of her cheek still feeling the soft graze of thin lips. Her ears still hearing the deep gravelly whisper that belonged to no one but a lanky, bull-headed detective. The one person who had the ability to usher the blonde into a state of utopia and completely demolish every part of the world she ever knew all at the same time.

All those years... all the days, hours, moments they had spent together. Their lives becoming so utterly intertwined that sometimes Maura couldn't tell where she ended and Jane began. A void so inexplicably difficult to fill when the brunette chose another person over her. An emptiness, an insanity, that couldn't be cured until Maura was in the arms of the one person in the world who completed her.

It was horribly unscientific. No hypothesis could've predicted the result of this grand experiment. No equation or theorem could prove why one plus one equalled infinity. But any time Maura was around Jane, this was the irrevocable truth.

It was the reason why the honey blonde had chosen to rise out of her bed. The reason her feet propelled her towards the car that brought her here. The explanation as to why she was sitting outside of her best friend's apartment in nothing but her pajamas.

She sighed, her fingers finally reaching for the door handle. Gathering her courage, she stepped out of the car. The thin silk of her night clothes doing nothing to guard her sensitive skin from the cold night air. Quietly, her feet padded down the sidewalk and up the staircase to the entrance of the building. Her delicate fingers using the key Jane had given her years ago to gain access into the foyer.

Feeling the comforting warmth of the indoors, the honey blonde continued up the flight of stairs. An all too familiar path that could be walked with eyes shut and hands tied behind her back. Silently she padded to the front door, unsure if her best friend lay awake in the dark as she had done for the last few hours. Quietly trembling hands inserting a rarely used key into the deadbolt lock.

Meeting no resistance, the honey blonde continued through the door into the eerily silent apartment. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of illumination throughout the entire common area. Her feet inched forward, seeking entrance into the one place she knew Jane would be.

Seconds almost turned into an millennium as the ME continued her path through the hallway to the bedroom door. Her footsteps falling lightly as humanly possible. Reaching the door, she realized it was cracked open. Her fingertips barely pushing it open to reveal a dark haired detective laying silently in bed.

Maura paused leaning against the doorframe, taking in the beauty of her best friend's sleeping form. So much more vulnerable in her state of rest. Her toned body laying gracefully on her back. Her head lightly turned in the direction of the opposite wall, long raven curls spilling over the soft pillow. A far cry from the ever protective woman who constantly stood at a defensive in her waking hours.

She smiled, feeling her insides warming from tip to toe. As tumultuous as the journey had been, she could truly imagine no other person she would rather give her everything to.

Finally overcoming the flutters in her stomach, the honey blonde padded towards her side of the bed, gingerly upturning the covers as not to disturb the woman who peacefully lay there. She crawled in, her body turning and slowly melting into the taller woman's. Her yoga toned arms reverently wrapping around the the brunette's torso.

"What are you doing?" Jane groggily asked, lightly stirring out of her delicate slumber.

Maura leaned in, her nose burying into thick raven locks. She inhaled, drowning in the scent that was so uniquely Jane... so uniquely home.

"I had a moment of clarity…" The honey blonde whispered into her ear before placing a gentle kiss on the brunette's prominent cheek bone.

In her half asleep state Jane smiled, turning towards Maura to envelope her completely into her embrace. Slowly her fingertips moved down, lightly intertwining with the smaller woman's. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually satisfied the pair drifted off into the most restful slumber they've had in weeks.

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**A/N:** So we're coming close to the end... only one more chapter to go. Just a note, I'm planning on making the last chapter of the "Rated M" variety. Nothing too graphic but rated M just to be safe. For those of you hopping off the ship with this chapter, THANK YOU for reading. For those continuing on, I hope what I come up with works well! I'm not promising an update very soon but have a goal to get it done WAY before the season 4 premier.

Thanks for reading!


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